Oakland Holdings, headed by developer Gareth Graham, originally submitted an application for a 14-storey tower containing 184 apartments for the site on the junction of Queen Street and College Street.

Originally labelling the proposal "far too tall and fundamentally inappropriate" for the area, planning officers have now backed a smaller nine-storey building. The recommendation will now go before the City Council's planning committee next week.

If councillors approve the proposal as expected, the developer will demolish the Lyndon Court building, which currently occupies the site.

Oakland, which originally tried to sell the building for £2.5 million in 2017, described Lyndon Court as “a disused and empty office space with struggling lower retail units”. Plans for the new building include a bar, restaurant and conferencing facilities.